


how it happened

by rannas



Series: salmon mode shenanigans [3]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: 5 Times, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Love Across The Universe: Dangan Salmon Team, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:13:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29446836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rannas/pseuds/rannas
Summary: Every time they hang out, Shuichi and Kokichi keep getting closer and closer in more ways than one.[aka the extremely overdone and ever cliché 5 times they almost kissed and the one time they did]
Relationships: Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Series: salmon mode shenanigans [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073057
Comments: 5
Kudos: 109





	how it happened

**Author's Note:**

> aka the events leading up to the library scene from the first fic in this little series. it's not really necessary to understand this though.

**o n e**

Kokichi Ouma was in trouble and it had absolutely nothing to do with the knife in his hand or the cut on the other hand that was slowly trickling blood onto the wooden table below. It was at least partially due to his overall circumstances. The whole being trapped inside some super weird school under a dome for a dating show that made absolutely zero sense. Tortured by a robotic bear and its five colorful offspring into dating to be able to escape. So he decided he would just bide his time until opportunity struck. Get a good read out of the other fifteen unfortunate souls stuck in here with him and do what he did best improvise and survive. At least he thinks that what he did, something felt a little fuzzy about his memories after all like whoever captured him and shoved him in this game smacked him over the head and gave him some serious brain damage. 

The others are pretty easy to read. Easy to mess with. It’s fun enough to not be too consumed with worry about this whole ordeal. The rest all agree to ignore Monokuma’s dating game and to try and find another way out. He had no complaints with that plan. He had no intentions of dating or falling in love in a place like this. It’s oddly fun being here too. People to mess with and things to do. The others are all worried about getting out, but that memory of people capturing him made him wonder if it’s all that great outside of this dome. Even if they don’t play the game, it wasn’t that bad, right? At least if it stayed like this, he didn’t think he’d mind it all that much. 

Of course, if he could go back in time to that first day and warn his past self he would. Although his past self would probably assume he’s lying and die of laughter at the idea that Shuichi Saihara and his stupid emo hat would be the source of all of his problems. Okay not all of them, the weird robot bears were obviously his biggest problem but his growing crush on the boy with golden eyes, dark hair, and insanely long eyelashes certainly wasn’t helping the matter. It started innocently enough. Well as innocently as casually spewing death threats can be. And yet Shuichi stayed, kept trying to figure him out. So they played games, drank tea, and Kokichi found himself becoming more and more interested in the detective. He was full of surprises. Not at all like he had guessed when they first met. There was something intense and strong hidden beneath that shyness and Kokichi couldn’t help but be intrigued. He tried and tried to figure him out but just never could and that was… exhilarating. And it didn’t hurt that now he stopped wearing that stupid hat so much Kokichi could see just how nice the boy was to look at. Stupidly attractive, his face angular yet soft all at once. Contradictory and confusing. 

He ignored the way he could feel something in his chest turn and pull every time those grey-gold eyes were on him. And ignored how it pulled even more when he saw that worried look on his face as he brought out the knife and started to let it dance between his fingers faster and faster. It was intoxicating. A rush. And he’s not even sure if he slipped on purpose or not, he was so entranced by that steady gaze. It doesn’t even hurt though, at least he doesn’t feel anything. The giddy energy from the knife speeding between his fingers and that panicked look on Shuichi’s face had him on cloud nine. So much that when he returned with the first aid kit from the dorms he couldn't stop laughing. 

Shuichi’s long and thin fingers were still wrapped around his hand, making it look almost tiny in comparison. The white bandage now neatly wrapped around his ring finger. Shuichi leaned across the table to examine his work and softly muttered “There you go” with such tenderness that Kokichi stopped mid-laugh. That lurching feeling was back in his chest. Shuichi was so close… he could just lean over and… He knew he was watching Shuichi’s lips a little too intently because he saw them curl up into a soft smile. But if Shuichi noticed him staring at his lips he didn’t say anything. He can’t seem to stop either and all his mind can seem to think about was just how soft they looked and found himself leaning so that only a few inches remained between them. 

But he stopped himself. Pulled back with a manic grin talking fast. Shuichi looked confused. Kokichi prattled on about how he didn’t need to play because he had already won, that he had stolen his heart. And that wanting his life was a lie. It kind of was. He doesn’t know what he wants from Shuichi actually. Too much probably. But the words fly off his tongue easily enough dripping with both lies and truths that surely Shuichi Saihara would be unable to untangle. At least he hoped not. Shuichi never needed to know about how he definitely thought about kissing him while he bandaged his finger from a self-induced knife wound. That fact would just go with him to the grave. Which might end up being sooner rather than later because his heart was pounding so fast Kokichi was pretty damn sure the thing was just going to rip out of his chest at any moment. 

And when Shuichi reached out his hand to him… Kokichi pulled back. That moment scared him. How badly he wanted to just lean over and kiss him… No way Shuichi would have appreciated that. He’d have to shove that little impulse down. Although, saying that it was the last event… that ended up being a total lie. He couldn’t help himself but latch on to Shuichi every free moment he had. Miu had teased Shuichi for being a masochist but Kokichi apparently was just as much of one. It’s painful wanting someone who didn’t want you back. Who shouldn’t want you back. But he can’t stop. He’s pulled into Shuichi’s strange little orbit all too easily, circling around at every chance he gets, hoping to grab his attention. 

It couldn’t hurt flirting a little bit, indulging himself in having Shuichi’s attention on him. If he was going to be locked in here, he deserved to at least have a little fun, right? It wasn’t really playing the dating game if he wasn’t doing this to graduate. He would just be careful, that's all. This wasn’t Monokuma’s game- it was his. And if he got hurt playing his own little game, then he was the only one to blame. 

* * *

**t w o**

Shuichi was not sure why it bothered him so much. Why he couldn’t get that little moment out of his head...He was only half-listening to Kaito talk about astronaut exams to Maki while he endlessly stirred his bowl of miso. Half listening was generous, he wasn’t really paying attention at all. His mind still locked on the events of the day before. The hand he had reached out and the one that refused to meet it. That strange look in Kokichi’s eyes as he pulled back with an uneasy smile. Part of him thinks he understands him a little better now but part of him knows it wasn’t enough. He wanted more. He wanted to know more about him. 

Which in some ways was no different than how the whole thing started. When he had gone around with Kaede meeting everyone, Kokichi’s introduction had stuck with him. _Who knows? I’m a liar after all._ And suddenly he was trapped, like an all too curious fly in a spider's web of lies. Unable to escape, or maybe just unwilling? Why did he want so badly to figure out whether what came out of the boy's mouth was truth or lies? 

So when he saw Kaede hanging out with him one morning, he couldn’t help but ask about it. She just sighed and said being around him made her head hurt and that all he did was lie and try and get her to join his organization. Immediately after she had gone off to see if Kirumi would help with her Ouma-induced headache. And despite that clear warning, he sought after Kokichi, a gift from the strange vending machine in hand. The boy threatened to kill him in sorts of colorful ways but he couldn’t pull himself away. So he kept coming back. Back to strange games that ended in ties and strange cryptic statements he doesn’t quite get. He sat in his dorm, throwing out the shapes of rock, paper, scissors, looking at his own hands and wondering just what clues he gave. Wondering just how Kokichi was clever enough to tie 100 times. Lying on his bed, picturing the shapes of his hands, he slowly drifted off. And his dreams were full of the same boy, laughing and smiling, but every time he reached out, running away. And he knew he couldn’t stop trying to hang out with him. 

And he didn’t. It all ended up culminating in Kokichi pulling out a knife and playing a game that really had scared him half to death. What if he had lost a finger? But it was fine, he bandaged him up and there was this… moment... where there was something new, something unfamiliar in those violet eyes. Another mystery he wanted to solve. 

“Yo, earth to Shuichi!” Kaito was waving his hand in front of his face. 

Maki looked at him with what he thought was concern (she was still too hard for him to read), “You alright there? You seem a bit… off.” 

Shuichi stuttered, “Oh yeah, uh I must not have slept all that well sorry!” He took a bite of his soup which was now cold. Unpleasant but he continued to eat it so Kirumi didn’t feel obligated to make him more. 

“Well, then you should take a nap then Bro.” Kaito beamed at him. 

“Yeah, maybe I will.” He smiled back and Kaito instead began talking about how he was finally going to win at the casino games today. He exchanged a look with Maki at that one. The meal ended and everyone dispersed, despite their initial disdain at being locked away to participate in whatever this was, they had found a weird sort of peaceful routine despite that. As much as he wanted to get out, part of him felt like there were worse places to be and worse people to be stuck with. So there wasn’t any harm in trying to enjoy this strange life for a little bit. And that's what they did. They spent their time indulging in the weird activities this strange Academy provided them. Hanging out in their labs or bonding with the others in the casino. Shuichi was never one to make friends fast but this seemed to be the kind of experience that just bonded you quickly. Hanging out in this strange academy wasn’t too bad actually. Usually, he just hung out with whoever he stumbled upon, but today he had a goal. A person to find. Something in his pocket burning, a plan he hoped would work. 

It didn’t take him too long to track down Kokichi. He was hanging out in the lobby pestering Keebo. The robot seemed quite relieved when Shuichi distracted the small boy from teasing him and shot him an appreciative glance as he dashed away the moment Kokichi’s gaze shifted over to the detective.

“Oh, my beloved Shuichi. What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you our little game was over? I stole your heart, made you _die_ with worry. I _won_.” Kokichi threw his hands behind his head and grinned widely. 

Shuichi pulled out one of the date tickets from the casino, hopefully using them wouldn’t break the agreement they all had of refusing this game, “Yeah… I know but I got one of these and I wondered if you would want to hang out.” That was the real reason he got the ticket, he hoped it would override Kokichi’s insistence that their last hangout had been the last. 

“That kinda seems like cheating Shuichi. Using the ticket to break the rules of our little game. Shouldn’t a detective follow the rules?” Kokichi grabbed the ticket as he teased, looking it over front and back. 

“I don’t see how it’s cheating,” Shuichi responded, eyebrows knitted together. 

“Hmm… I guess if you are that desperate I could grace you with my presence. But if you bore me I will have no choice but to make you pay.” Kokichi pocketed the ticket and smirked. 

Shuichi exhaled, relieved his plan worked, he didn’t even bother asking what said payment would be, after all he had already had his life threatened multiple times, what was the worst it could be? “Okay. Do you want to watch a movie in the AV room together?” 

Kokichi tapped his finger on his chin, “So this really is a date isn’t it Mr. Detective? I guess I can’t say I mind.” 

Shuichi felt heat rise to his cheeks, “Wait, what?” He guessed it was kind of a date but that low and smooth tone from Kokichi made it sound far more seductive than he had intended. He just wanted more time to figure him out. Figure out what about him made him so intriguing. 

A warm hand wrapped around his wrist and pulled, “Let’s goooo.” And together they took off, Shuichi stumbled a bit as they ran. Turned out running while having one arm held by someone shorter than you was not the easiest feat. But he managed (thanks to Kokichi graciously slowing down as they climbed down the stairs).

When they made it to the room Kokichi collapsed onto the couch, sprawled over dramatically, and demanded that Shuichi pick the movie. Shuichi scanned the shelves trying to figure out what sort of thing Kokichi would like. It was so hard to tell with him. He settled on a comedy. Maybe something lighthearted would put the other boy in a good enough mood to actually tell Shuichi more about himself. 

“Good choice!” Kokichi responded when Shuichi held up the case showcasing his film he’d chosen. 

“Really?” Shuichi put the DVD into the player and grabbed the remote, making sure everything was working so the movie would play.

“Mmhmm comedies are great because you don’t have to think. And I have lots of complicated thoughts in my head. I am the leader of a secret evil organization, y'know. That's why mindless movies like this are a breath of fresh air.” Kokichi drawled, now laying on his stomach across the whole couch, propped up by his arms and kicking his legs. _Where was he supposed to sit? The floor… or just stand?_

“Oh um… good then.” Shuichi looked over at the couch, Kokichi grinned and sat up patting the space beside him. Well, that was better at least. Well until he sat down on the couch and Kokichi immediately scooted right next to him, sides pressed flush against each other. 

Kokichi looked up at him, “I'm not surprised the Ultimate Detective figured out this secret of mine. No matter how many times I'm reborn, I'll be no match for the likes of you.” He was teasing him. He knew that. But somehow the proximity made him swallow hard and his heart pound. But before he could think too much about it, funky music began to play and the movie started. 

Shuichi found himself not watching as much of the movie as he should. Truthfully he had no idea what was going on. Not that comedies ever really had that deep of plots so he doubted he was missing much. Usually, he just picked apart movies like this, groaned at how obvious everything was. But something about the gleeful way Kokichi laughed at the jokes or rolled his eyes at some silly plot contrivance captivated him far more than the movie ever could. So his eyes kept darting back and forth. But more and more they just remained on Kokichi, watching as his face changed and shifted. Entranced. He tried to look at the movie, hoped that watching him wasn’t creepy. Although he couldn’t even name one single character in the movie. Or even what the plot was about. He chanced another look, but this time found wide eyes staring back at him, blinking owlishly. And with his head turned, Shuichi was reminded just how _close_ they were. The other boy looked up, and Shuichi watched as his tongue swiped across his lips. He turned his head down moving slightly closer, wondering if he should say something, anything. He wondered why Kokichi was uncharacteristically quiet. Not joking or teasing. Out of the corner of his vision, he watched Kokichi’s fists clench against his leg before turning back to the movie and emitting an extremely hollow and extremely fake laugh directed to the movie as it reached its end.

The credits rolled, and Kokichi turned to him once more complaining about how boring the movie was, but Shuichi was silent, watching him again. Watching the way his eyes lit up while he talked, the way his hair flounced around while shaking his head, the way his hands never ceased moving, the exaggerated movements of his mouth as he continued to talk about how silly the movie was. Kokichi trailed off, their eyes met again and once again they were frozen, inches apart, no movie to distract them this time. Shuichi found himself looking down at Kokichi’s lips that were oh so close and wondering what it would be like if he just closed the space between them, and if maybe the same sort of thoughts were going through Kokichi’s mind as well. The door slammed open.

“Oh! Sorry! Gonta didn’t know you two were in here. Gonta just wanted to watch another bug movie, it is very ungentlemanly to interrupt!” Gonta stared at them looking distraught. 

“Yeah! Just the worst Gonta! You totally ruined the movie for me.” Kokichi hopped up, “But you saved me from being bored to death by mister detective here so thanks Gonta! See ya!” And before either him or Gonta could get in a word edgewise, Kokichi bolted out of the room. Shuichi comforted Gonta and explained how the movie was over and he had done nothing rude. However, Shuichi declined when Gonta asked him to join in on watching the bug documentary. As much as he liked Gonta, watching bugs for that long would surely make his skin crawl for days. He promised that he would hang out with him later and left the basement. 

This little date experiment was supposed to clear his head, to get a better handle on Kokichi. But somehow now he was just even more confused. 

Would Kokichi have kissed him? Did he want Kokichi to kiss him? They hadn’t known each other for that long and it seemed a bit crazy but… Shuichi was pretty sure he did want just that. So maybe it was for the best Gonta had stopped them before he did something foolish. They weren’t supposed to be playing this dating game. Kokichi probably didn't want that anyhow. He probably did just find him boring. After all, they hadn’t even known each other for that long, it would be silly to just jump into something like that just because they were trapped here… right? _That must be it_ , he reasoned- just some weird side effect of being trapped in here

* * *

**t h r e e**

Kokichi stomped out of Miu’s lab, slamming the door as he went. He had enough of her pointed comments for today. He did _not_ talk about Shuichi that much. She was definitely making that up. Just because her mind was permanently stuck in the gutter didn’t mean that his was. He definitely wasn’t thinking about the detective like that. Absolutely not. And if he did, he could just push those little thoughts away. Maybe he felt a bit of an attachment to Shuichi. But it didn’t mean anything… right… He twirled the ends of his hair around his finger knowing full well that was a lie. Those strange charged moments between the two of them still popping up in his brain without warning. Just how had he gotten from not even knowing the guy, to… that…. 

He’s heard of Stockholm Syndrome where you end up bonding with your own captor. Which was stupid. But that wasn’t quite what was going on. Shuichi wasn’t keeping him here at the Academy (at least he’s pretty sure he’s not -otherwise Shuichi might be the best liar of all time and he’s not sure just how that would make him feel). It was like some sort of accelerated bonding forced by being locked into a space with people. Surely that was some sort of psychological phenomenon that had some sort of name. Cause there had to be some explanation for why he was feeling like this in such a short time. 

“Oh, Kokichi! I was looking for you!” Of course, Shuichi would conveniently turn up when his thoughts were already full of him. He just really liked to make things harder on him, didn’t he? 

Kokichi put on a wide grin, tossing his arms behind his head, “That seems like a dangerous thing to do. What if I send hitmen after you for intruding on my top-secret meeting?”

Shuichi glanced around the empty courtyard as if checking to see if Kokichi was in fact in some meeting. It was… ridiculously endearing, “What meeting?”

Kokichi laughed, “You got me. So why was my beloved detective looking for me on a day like this?”

A soft smile came over Shuichi’s face, “I just wanted to hang out. I got this cake recipe from Kirumi and thought maybe…” Hmm… so he was just asking now, not even bothering with those strange date tickets. Bold. 

“Oooh is Shuichi going to make me cake? Will you feed it to me after?” Kokichi beamed. 

Shuichi’s eyes widened, panicked, “Why would I do that?” So easy to mess with, and it didn’t hurt that he looked kind of cute all overwhelmed. Annoyingly so actually. 

Kokichi tried to look as menacing as he could, “Because I’m a supreme leader and you are my ward.”  
  
Shuichi looked unshaken, merely giving him a strange look, “Ward… like a ward of the state? Are you calling me your child?”

“Noo you weirdo. More like my protege in evil. Since you keep hanging around I assume that means you plan to take me up on my offer to join my organization.”

“Uhh… no I just want to know more about you Kokichi. I wouldn’t join something I don’t know anything about.”

“Of course you wouldn’t! You are too clever to be fooled so easily I see. But just you wait, one day your curiosity will get the better of you. ” Shuichi seemed to be thinking too hard on that one so Kokichi grabbed his wrist and began dragging him towards the dining hall, “C’mon you promised me cake and I’ll die if I’m promised food and don’t receive it within 3 hours.”

“That’s definitely not true.” Shuichi quickly responded and Kokichi let his wrist go.

Kokichi gave his best twisted smile in return, “Would you really risk it to find out?”

Shuichi’s eyes widened looking actually a bit scared, “I-- let’s go make the cake.” 

They went into the kitchen and Shuichi began to take out the ingredients they needed. Kokichi took out all the ingredients they didn’t need. Like pickled ginger, garlic, and spicy peppers. Shuichi exasperatedly put them away as he brought them out and Kokichi laughed gleefully in return. Eventually, everything was up to Shuichi’s standards, the oven was preheating and they began. Kokichi actually wanted the cake to taste good so he didn’t _actually_ mess with the cake recipe by putting any gross or weird stuff in it, but he did lie every time Shuichi trusted him to add something (Kokichi seriously thought Shuichi might have wet himself when Kokichi declared he put 2 cups of salt in the batter- it was sugar like it was supposed to be but totally worth it for watching Shuichi freak out). He also may have “accidentally” spilled flour all over both of them by smacking the bottom of the measuring cup while Shuichi was holding it causing both them and the entire kitchen to be covered in white powder. Kokichi also insisted on putting multicolored sprinkles in the batter to make the cake more fun. Shuichi relented after he pouted for a bit, even if it ‘wasn’t in the recipe’. Kokichi cheered excitedly. Shuichi poured the batter into the pan and they put it in the oven. 

Kokichi grabbed the bowl they mixed the batter in. “Here!” He held up the spoon full of the vanilla batter dotted with the multicolored sprinkles he had added to Shuichi’s face. 

“But the raw egg…” Shuichi frowned looking at the spoon.

“Oh live a little Shuichi. Are you really scared of a little egg?” Shuichi still looked at the spoon like it was some sort of enemy. Kokichi sighed and shook his head, eating the spoonful himself. It was sweet and gooey and perfect, hopefully, the cake would taste that good. “See! I’m alive!” 

“It wouldn’t happen that fast,” Shuichi responded and Kokichi scraped the spoon around the edges to get more of the batter before brandishing it once more in front of Shuichi’s mouth. 

“Do it! Or I’ll tell Gonta you actually hate bugs.” Kokichi challenged, a smirk plastered on his face. 

Shuichi froze for a moment, thinking it over. “Fine…” he mumbled before opening his mouth. Kokichi moved the spoon in. Which of course was a mistake he realized all too quickly. Because his hand was so close to Shuichi’s mouth and now his eyes couldn’t move away from Shuichi’s lips as they slowly pulled the batter off the spoon causing him to heat up and shiver in response. And his mind couldn’t stop realizing dumb thoughts like how his own mouth had just been on that same spoon. Childish thinking of things like indirect kisses while he also was pretty sure he might be hot enough to cook batter himself now after watching that spoon exit Shuichi’s mouth, the detective's eyes closed and humming slightly. Dangerous just how alluring he found that. Kokichi laughed loudly to cover up the internal panic and hoped that Shuichi was too worried about dumb things like salmonella to notice just how damn red his cheeks were now. 

Thankfully, Shuichi began working on setting everything up to make the strawberry icing. Shuichi did most of the work after Kokichi claimed (falsely with lots of tears to match) he couldn’t help cut strawberries because he was too afraid of being nicked by the blade. Shuichi did not question that as much as he expected, maybe he was still worked up after the little knife game incident. _Nope._ He did not need to be thinking about that. It was bad enough he kept seeing Shuichi with that damn spoon in his mouth, he didn’t need to pair it with the look on his face when he bandaged his finger, but of course, he already was. He bit down on his lip, too lost in his own stupid gay thoughts to properly mess with Shuichi as he diced the strawberries.

Kokichi offered to mix the icing while Shuichi pulled out the cake to cool and Shuichi foolishly obliged. He cranked up the mixer and flecks of pink icing flew around for a moment before Shuichi reached over and turned it down. 

“Kokichi!” He chided. 

Kokichi just laughed. There was plenty of icing left so it didn’t matter. However, between the flour and the icing, the kitchen was looking pretty rough. Shuichi was observing the scene looking exhausted, but Kokichi only could look at the fleck of pink now on his pale skin from the icing explosion he had caused. “You have icing on your cheek Shuichi! you look so dumb right now!” 

“I do?” Shuichi frowned, looking way too sad about something so trivial. Cute. He rubbed at the wrong cheek with the back of his hand.

“Missed it!” Kokichi cried out joyfully and Shuichi wiped the other side, going too low to actually get the icing off of his face. “Nishishi missed it again!” Shuichi huffed, clearly annoyed. “Oh don’t get all worked up silly. I’ll get it for you.” 

Kokichi reached up and wiped the icing off of Shuichi’s cheek with his thumb. Electricity dancing across his finger as it touched the other boys pale soft skin. He froze. Shuichi was looking down at him with those golden eyes and long lashes and his heart suddenly forgot how to beat properly. If he just stood on his toes they’d be at an even level. He bit down on his own lips as his eyes flitted down to Shuichi’s slightly parted ones. Maybe they still tasted sweet from tasting the batter. It would be so easy to find out, just the tiniest of space. 

The kitchen door opened. Kokichi jumped back. Kirumi looked around at the mess they had made (okay… that Kokichi had made) but she made no comment on it. She merely told them she needed the kitchen to start making dinner. Shuichi began to insist that they clean up but as Kokichi expected Kirumi insisted on doing it herself. She at least allowed them to ice the cake they had spent all that time working on before beginning to clean.

He almost felt bad for Kirumi. They (mostly himself) really had made such a mess but she really had saved him there. Any longer and he would have definitely done something stupid. Instead, they just sat out in the dining hall, slicing the small cake they had created. 

They ate the cake, which was actually pretty good- nothing fancy but the cake was moist and tasted like vanilla and the sprinkles added a nice touch in his not so humble opinion. The icing was good too and tasted like just the right amount of strawberry. Kokichi took more than half of the small cake since Shuichi claimed that too many sweets upset his stomach. And to wash it down they drank tea that Kirumi had brought them unprompted. Kokichi managed to get Shuichi to talk instead of constantly questioning him. He learned about his uncle and his parents. He learned about how one time he tracked down a pet alligator for a classmate and for some reason thought that was no big deal. It sounded more like a lie Kokichi himself would tell, but he knew Shuichi was being honest. Surprising as always. Even if Shuichi himself didn't seem to realize just how interesting of a person he was. And it only made him like him more. 

Kokichi of course only fed him lies in return, he couldn’t help it, there was something so fun about spinning lies just to watch his reactions. _Why did he like lying to him so much… even more than the others...?_

All too soon, the others came in for dinner and ruined their little reverie. Kokichi was still full of cake so he just watched Shuichi interact with everyone instead. Miu’s snide remarks hardly even bothered him this time (of course only Miu Iruma would find a way to make being covered in flour sound like the lewdest thing of all time). 

And as he watched Shuichi leave dinner to go work out with Kaito and Maki, waving as he went, Kokichi realized that he was in even more trouble than he had thought before. He was falling… and way too fast. 

* * *

**f o u r**

Shuichi found himself thinking about Kokichi way more than he should. Thinking about him while in the casino. Thinking about him while he was doing pushups in the courtyard. Thinking about him in his room alone before he went to bed. Which somehow felt… intrusive… So many times they ended up, so close, and every time it felt like the world froze for a second before something interrupted and brought them crashing back to reality. At least that’s how it was for him. He really had no idea what Kokichi thought. Maybe he was just messing with him? Who knew if he even liked him like that? Liked boys like that? It wasn’t like he ever asked or discussed it. Not that he even knew when he could believe what came out of that boy's mouth. 

He was not really sure what it really meant though. Not in a place like this. So he figured he would observe more. Just watch Kokichi. Watch how he interacted with the group and sowed chaos within the group, laughing the whole time. The way his face lit up after messing with people, the quick way he’d banter with Miu, and ease in which he could rile Kaito up. Even Kaede found him tiring. So by all accounts… it made no sense that he kept thinking about him, kept wondering what sort of activities would actually get Kokichi to talk (part of him even wondered if Miu could make him some sort of lie detector but he held back from asking- terrified that the girl would take his request in some sort of… unsavory direction). Better just to keep this case to himself. Asking Kaito or Maki seemed out of the question of course, of the people annoyed by Kokichi’s antics- they were easily on the top of the list. He wasn’t any closer to figuring it out. But the whole wanting to kiss him thing. Must just be an impulse born from knowing this was some sort of dating show game thing. Just a side effect of having the idea of romance forced on him. Nothing else. That had to be it. There was no way Kokichi actually liked him. He was just messing with him- that’s what all the nicknames and flirting and touching were about. Nothing more. 

But that didn’t mean he had to stop trying to figure out Kokichi- he would just have to get creative. 

But he was also kind of running out of ideas. The gym didn’t really seem like Kokichi’s thing, and if he took him to the library Shuichi had a feeling it would end up in Kokichi teasing him for being lame or something like that. So he figured it wouldn’t hurt to just try the AV room again. Watching a movie had been nice after all. Really nice. Even if Shuichi didn’t really watch the movie at all (though he was pretty sure he had not missed out). 

“Aww, I don’t wanna watch a movie. We already did that. That’s boooorrrrinnggg.” Kokichi whined, eyes brimming with tears (likely fake). 

“Oh sorry. We can go somewhere else.” Shuichi replied, hoping to cut off the inevitable flow of crocodile tears.

“Nope.” 

“Huh? So what should we do instead?” Shuichi asked.

Kokichi clenched his fists together, staring up at him imploringly, “You invited me out Shuichi. Entertain me. I hate being bored” 

Shuichi felt like that at least was not a lie. Kokichi did seem to detest boredom, but what on earth was supposed to be entertaining in a room meant for watching movies if they were in fact not allowed to just watch a movie. Shuichi scanned the room for ideas. Cleaning was out, the room was pretty tidy already… How could he turn this into some sort of game…. Kokichi liked games clearly. Even simple ones. So he finally suggested, “We could uhh... play dominoes with the movie boxes?”

Kokichi’s demeanor changed into a pout, eyes kneaded together in what looked like anger, “Huh!? Dominoes!? With movie boxes!? Do you think a supreme leader of evil would do something so childish!? Who do ya think I am!?”

Shuichi held his hands up about to try and soothe the situation, apologize, try and figure out just how he got it so wrong. Wonder just how on earth he would ever really understand Kokichi… but then Kokichi laughed brightly, face suddenly beaming with a wide smile, “Well...it might be fun if we try it out! People always say try new things in life, so how about we go for the Guinness world record!?” Shuichi froze, lost in thought once more. Holding his hand to his face, he wondered if maybe this was a lost cause, maybe he’d never be able to figure out Kokichi. 

But Kokichi seemed oblivious to his mini-crisis and already had his arms full of DVD cases. Even if it did seem incredibly childish now that he thought about it, Shuichi also knew he couldn’t back out now- it was his idea after all. 

Kokichi quickly took charge of the whole endeavor, planning the path of the DVD cases, telling Shuichi how far to space them, and pointing out potential hazards. While Shuichi highly doubted the whole ‘evil supreme leader of a secret organization with 10000 members’ thing- he was pretty sure that Kokichi was actually pretty good at leading when he felt like it. And he was having a pretty good time just following along on this silly little project, making sure each case was placed exactly right. 

He imagined the others would tease him if they knew he enjoyed being bossed around at such a childish activity. Miu had called him a masochist the other day (and the others had not exactly disagreed that strongly- minus Kaede, at least she had his back). But it wasn’t being bossed around he liked. Not really… He just liked feeling useful, feeling like he contributed, feeling like he helped someone. Even if it was something as pointless as the DVD domino chain that now stretched the entire room. 

“Woooow this totally wasn’t as lame as I thought it would be. I guess I’m glad I let you live after all.” Kokichi drawled as he rubbed his hands together, looking over the sprawling spiral of cases they had laid across the room. 

“Uh that’s good,” Shuichi responded slightly despondent, still feeling a bit like he royally screwed up this entire hangout. One step forward, two steps back. 

Kokichi stepped up to him, standing so close he could feel the worth of his body even if they weren’t touching. 

“I hate when people make these kinda faces when they hang out with me,” Kokichi whined lips pouted out as he stared up at him. “Do you really hate me that much Shuichi?” 

“No!” He responded a bit louder than he meant to, which caused the other boy's eyebrows to raise and lips curled up in turn. “Sorry… I uh…. actually…” Shuichi bit down on his lip, “I really like spending time with you Kokichi.”

The blank stare on Kokichi’s face melted away into something softer, vulnerable almost, something Shuichi could not remember ever seeing on that face. It made his throat close up and chest squeeze and once more he found that impulse rising. That impulse to run his hand over that round cheek and slowly press their lips together. Would they taste like the soda he always saw him drinking? Would they be as soft as they looked from this way too close vantage point? Was he actually leaning in without thinking? 

The door opened and immediately the sound of plastic cases clicking and falling followed. The door had hit the middle of the line of cases so they fell in both directions, some falling and some not. A disastrous end for the work they had put in for the better part of the day. It also caused Kokichi to jump back away from him, whatever moment that was going on between them now over. 

“Awww you ruined my masterpiece!” Kokichi cried out. Korekiyo looked back, expression difficult to figure out. 

Kiyo ignored Kokichi simply commenting, “Ah what a mess.” 

“Sorry, we can clean it up!” Shuichi offered. 

“Mmm, no thanks. That’s all you my beloved Shumai!” Kokichi grinned wildly before sprinting out of the room, almost running into Korekiyo in the process (earning a scary glare from Kiyo that he’s pretty sure Kokichi missed entirely) 

“What a nuisance.” Korekiyo muttered, “shall I assist you in reordering these? Perhaps I will discover a documentary I have not yet seen.” 

“Sure.” Shuichi agreed, trying to sound enthusiastic. He barely listened to Korekiyo as he talked about how watching movies compared to ancient rituals, his mind was once again too full of Kokichi and wondering what would have happened if Korekiyo had picked a different time to find a movie. 

* * *

**f i v e**

Kokichi really wished he had actually stuck to his word and cut off this whole thing with Shuichi at the fifth event like he had promised. But that was a lie. He couldn’t stop himself turned out. Because here he was. Yet again. One on one with Shuichi where he was pretty sure something else would make his heart stop and he’d question everything inside this dome. The competition inside him of desperately wanting Shuichi to notice and being terrified when he finally would was exhausting. Wanting something and being terrified of it all at once wasn’t the worst sensation though. Wasn’t the whole reason people went on roller coasters? That combination of thrill and terror. Every moment with Shuichi was like that. Thrilling, interesting, exciting. Moments that made his body buzz and insides squirm in a way that made him feel like he could explode. But also terrifying. Terrifying how after not even that much time stuck in here together, he already liked him way too much. He wasn’t even sure how much time had passed. This strange place made it all mash up together. Maybe they just got here yesterday, maybe they lived here all their lives. 

But he realized he wasn’t being all too subtle about it. Not when he had others actually commenting on the whole thing. Even Gonta seemed to be picking up on his stupid crush. Shuichi was however infuriatingly oblivious which at least kept it interesting. Despite dropping the pretense of using Monokuma’s date tickets, Shuichi still seemed interested in hanging out with him. So when he came striding up to him once more, Kokichi tried his best to quell the way his heart jumped in his chest as Shuichi smiled softly and invited him out for the day. 

Of course, _going_ _out_ inside of a school they were trapped in for the unforeseeable future meant they had just gone to the courtyard to hang out. They were alone at least, the others scattered to their labs or other various hang-out places within the Academy. “So what are we going to do in the courtyard, my dearest detective?” Kokichi skipped about before turning and looking back at Shuichi with his hands behind his back and head tilted. 

Shuichi paused, looking thoughtful, “Oh I guess I should have come up with a plan before I invited you out here.” 

“Aww were you so eager to hang out with me you didn’t even wait to come up with a plan!” Kokichi teased back.

“I guess so.” 

“Well, now time to test your quick wits! Go! Decide what we are going to do! Now!”

Shuichi looked panicked before blurting out, “Let’s dance.”

Kokichi pursed his lips, “Dance? I never expected something so hip from you Shuichi. I thought you were more the introvert type. Like I imagine you curled up at the corner of your room licking dust or something…”

Kokichi burst out laughing at the absolutely stricken look that Shuichi now had plastered on his face, “Why would I do that? I’m not a monster!”

“Sure you aren’t Shuichi. Well then?” Kokichi tilted his head, watching, waiting, wondering just what Shuichi would do next. And despite still looking like he was thinking way too much about the whole dust thing, Shuichi reached over and grabbed his hands. Kokichi smiled widely as he tried his best not to panic, not to let Shuichi see just how much of an effect he had on him. 

There’s no music but he was still pretty sure that they were still incredibly offbeat somehow. Their hands linked together just swaying around in something that almost might be swing dancing (in the absolute loosest sense of the word). Kokichi demanded to be spun and Shuichi obliged. There was a bemused sort of grin on the detective's face, golden grey eyes shining in the artificial daylight of the dome. Kokichi laughed as they continued dancing around to some imaginary song (when Kokichi asked- Shuichi had refused to sing one). Kokichi attempted to hum but was too breathless from moving or laughing to succeed. Moving around made it easier to not think too hard about how soft Shuichi’s hands were wrapped around his own. 

But like Shuichi always seemed to do… he surprised him. They turned and he found his weight shifting, falling over Shuichi’s arm, face up to the sky. His heart skipped several beats and he felt weightless. All that dumb exercising must be doing him good because Shuichi was holding his weight up with ease. And just as suddenly as Shuichi pulled him into the dip, he pulled him back up now flush against Shuichi’s chest. Pressed together he can feel the warmth emanating from the other boy, he could hear his heart beating through that dark pinstriped jacket. Their hands had fallen apart. Both breathing a little faster from all the dancing and spinning around. He should move back, step away. But he’s frozen in place staring up into those eyes as if they had the power to turn him into stone. Shuichi’s mouth opened as if he was going to say something but stopped and now Kokichi found his eyes moving down looking at his lips and wanting once more to just lift himself up and find out if his daydreams about the detective would match reality. But before he could, Shuichi’s lips moved and his eyes shifted away. 

Shuichi stepped back away from him, that pleasant warmth gone, “Oh hey Ryoma.” The detective’s face was bright red as he greeted Ryoma. 

The former tennis pro’s eyes bounced in between them before he pulled down on his cap. “Shuichi. Kokichi. Don’t mind me, just passing through.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Nothing was happening. I mean- uh-“ Shuichi stammered. 

“Whew thanks, Ryoma you totally saved me from being bored to death by old Shumai here. We would have had a murder on our hands if you hadn’t shown up!” Kokichi teased childishly putting on a plastic grin before skipping away, the other boys both giving him confused looks as he did. He should have been glad Ryoma interrupted them before he did anything reckless and stupid, and yet... he really wished that Ryoma had not walked past right then. _Would it... Would they have..._

 _Shit…_ he really was in it now. And Shuichi… he really couldn’t figure him out. He seemed so into… whatever that was, and then just… panicked. What did that even mean? Did he actually…? No, there was no way.

Or maybe… Kokichi raked his hands through his hair and collapsed onto his bed trying his best not to think about how it felt to be wrapped up in Shuichi’s arms and failing miserably. 

* * *

**++++**

Of all the things he came to expect with Kokichi Ouma, he did not expect for him to come striding up with a date ticket in hand and tell him they were hanging out today. Not that he minded. He was starting to really enjoy his company, even if it was extremely confusing. Even if despite all his efforts, he still didn’t know all that much about him. 

Kokichi sighed when they reached their destination, “Wow Shuichi really must be a nerd if his idea of a hot date is to a dumb old library.” 

“This was your idea....” Shuichi muttered.

Kokichi grinned wickedly, “Hmm I doubt it. I’d much rather go to an amusement park or a beach. Or a movie theatre or military base, actual date locations!”

“How is a military base a date location?”  
  
“Shuichi must not have a very good imagination.” Kokichi pouted and tapped his foot on the ground, “So are you gonna show me where the dirty books are?” 

“What?!” Shuichi sputtered and Kokichi laughed wildly. Of course, he was being messed with. But Shuichi couldn’t let him keep messing around. Not when he had questions. Questions he had been steeling himself up to ask since the day before, so much that he had barely slept. “So umm Kokichi about yesterday?”

Kokichi paused, “Hmm what about it?”

“When we were uhh dancing.” Shuichi could feel the heat rushing to his cheeks already, so much for being smooth and confident. 

Kokichi’s mouth twitched, “Oh is Shiuichi going to confess his undying love for me because of my superior dancing skills?”

Shuichi clenched his fist, why was this so hard, “No. I mean. Not exactly.”

“Not exactly…” Kokichi echoed, face frozen in a neutral expression. 

“I just thought for a moment… that you might uh… kiss me.”

Kokichi’s face twitched before finally responding as if trying to settle on an expression, “Gross I would never do something like that. I’m saving myself for marriage y’know.”

Shuichi looked to the side, “Right.”

Kokichi stepped up toward him once more, too close but not close enough, his voice low and smooth, “But maybe that's a lie. Depends. Maybe I have wanted to kiss you for a long time now. Ever since you bandaged up my hand”

“Are you lying again?” Shuichi met those sparkling violet eyes.

He still couldn’t get a full read on those wide eyes boring into him, blinking rapidly, but he knew a challenge when he heard one, “Why don’t you investigate and find out Mister Detective?”

Shuichi grabbed that checkered scarf Kokichi wore every day and pulled him in. Lips crashing together. A bit unpleasantly at first, a little too hard, noses bumping together. Maybe he was a little too eager to meet the challenge he was offered, but they eased into it, ending in something soft and sweet before Shuichi pulled back. 

“Hmm, I don’t think that was a very thorough investigation, and they call you the Ultimate Detective.” Kokichi made a _tsk-ing_ noise but Shuichi cut it off by diving back into another kiss. It started slow enough, just lips moving over one another, hands slowly grabbing on. But then Kokichi pulled on his lip with his teeth and he let out a moan and all of a sudden the kiss shifted, like Kokichi’s many faces, the slow and steady kiss morphed into something more frantic, something hungrier. Kokichi’s fingers were laced in his hair, pulling, while his own hands were gripped on the back of Kokichi’s uniform, trying to pull him in. His tongue was now dancing around in his mouth and it was too much and not enough all at once. Kokichi pushed him against the shelf, books falling over in their wake, breaking from the kiss to run his mouth over his neck before diving back in. Shuichi pushed back, more books fell and he took the chance to let his tongue explore and relish in the noises Kokichi made in return. Like a dam breaking, that moment exploded into something that was way too much, way too fast. Not that he wanted it to stop. Even if he knew if they continued at this pace, he would have a… situation to deal with, one that he’d much rather be in the privacy of his own room for. 

The door opened. And luckily that was just as effective as a cold shower in quelling that fire rising within him. Shuichi jumped back, still out of breath from the kiss, lips still wet with saliva, and clothes slightly rumpled. Rantaro stood at the door, looking between the both of them with a bemused sort of grin on his face. He sputtered, trying to play it off, but before he could Rantaro merely gave a small little laugh and walked away. 

They were both silent for a moment, just staring at the door Rantaro had just left out of, “Do you think he’s gonna tell everyone?” Shuichi asked in barely more than a whisper. 

Kokichi frowned, “Are you ashamed Shuichi? Am I really that far below your standards?” His tone was teasing, but there was a bit of sadness in those violet eyes. At least he thought there might have been. 

“No! I just… we all promised not to do this whole dating show thing and…” Shuichi grasped his hands together, hoping he hadn’t offended him somehow. Hope he didn’t already regret kissing him. Especially since all he really wanted was to do it again. But… maybe that was a mistake… maybe they were just playing into this stupid dating game. 

Kokichi shrugged- staring at Shuichi with an intensity that made him wonder how someone so small could be so imposing, “I didn’t want to kiss you to graduate. If the rules were no falling in love or you were stuck in here forever I’d still want Shumai to kiss me. I’d stay here forever!” 

“That seems a bit… dramatic.” But he couldn’t help but smile. 

“But am I wrong? Are you going to tell me you didn’t kiss me of your own free will? You aren’t being mind-controlled or blackmailed, right? No one forced you to do that, right?” Kokichi stepped back closer to him, voice low and soft. As warm as his lips had been. 

“Yeah… this had nothing to do with that stupid game!” Shuichi replied, too loud for how close they were but Kokichi only widened his smile in return. 

“Nishishi so enthusiastic you sound just like an anime protagonist Shuichi!” 

Shuichi smiled sheepishly, “Ah sorry.”

Kokichi walked two fingers up Shuichi’s chest and softly cupped his chin, the touch reawakening that fire from before, “Everyone is probably at lunch now so there’s no way we would get interrupted again.” Kokichi pulled him down into yet another kiss. 

So they resumed where they left off, and Kokichi was right, no one else interrupted them. 

**Author's Note:**

> This isn’t valentines themed so much as something I started writing a while ago and decided to finish for valentines but it still counts right? 
> 
> Probably not but I’ll take any excuse to write Salmon Mode dates bc I love them. It’s also more stupid than sweet and just dumb gay obliviousness leading to making out. Classic valentines day stuff obviously.


End file.
